Dear Landowner,
You’ve likely heard a lot of recent news regarding groundwater management in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. I think it’s important to update you on what is going on in the Kaweah Subbasin and the Greater Kaweah GSA.
In a landmark decision made by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), our neighbors in the Tulare Lake Subbasin, were placed on “probationary status” under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Probation involves changes for the GSAs and growers in the Tulare Lake Subbasin, that involve the installation of flow meters on wells, monthly reporting of pumping volume, and the payment of fees to the SWRCB.
Here in the Kaweah Subbasin, the Mid-Kaweah GSA, East Kaweah GSA, and the Greater Kaweah GSA referred to herein as Kaweah Subbasin GSAs, are facing a similar path with the SWRCB. The Kaweah Subbasin GSAs have been working hard to avoid the probation process by drafting a revised Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for SWRCB approval. (In early 2023, the Kaweah Subbasin GSAs were notified by the California Department of Water Resources that the three individual GSPs were “inadequate”, and the GSAs could be subject to probation, should they not revise and provide an appropriate GSP to the SWRCB).
In the Kaweah Subbasin’s GSPs, DWR identified the Kaweah Subbasin GSAs needed to revise the Sustainable Management Criteria (SMCs), which are the future objective levels for groundwater levels and subsidence. To tackle these issues, the Kaweah Subbasin GSAs formed technical teams supported by several consulting firms specializing in hydrogeology and engineering. In this process, these teams have kept the Subbasin Boards and committees up to date while providing feedback and direction. The Subbasin Board and committee meetings remain open to public attendance and public comments as well (see each GSA’s website for times and locations). The Kaweah Subbasin GSAs are very close to completing work on the revised SMCs for groundwater levels and land subsidence, as well as providing a Drinking Well Mitigation Program. The Kaweah Subbasin GSAs anticipate a revised GSP at the end of May or early June for public comment. Your review and comments will be appreciated.
The Greater Kaweah GSA continues to make progress implementing our GSP toward sustainability, by implementing projects and management actions. We completed our first year of groundwater Allocations and the 2023 Invoices are to be mailed shortly. This Management Action is an effective tool as it reduces the amount of groundwater pumped out of the GSA. Allocations will be reduced, and overdraft penalties increased as we approach 2040. The GSA’s Pilot Land Fallowing Program and the State’s LandFLEX fallowing program are two more effective Management Actions initiated in 2023. The programs have been successful in idling over a thousand acres of land that up to a year before contributed to the overdraft conditions. The Paregien Recharge and Flood Control Basin Project, and the Recharge Basin Improvement Project are near completion adding invaluable recharge capacity to the system to best manage water importation opportunities and wet year water resources. Additionally, our partnership with the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District and their 2023 Water Recharge Program provided surface water for recharge to landowners who normally don’t have access to surface water. A program that kept many groundwater pumps off throughout the 2023 Spring and Summer months.
The Greater Kaweah GSA’s objective is to continue to provide growers and landowners with tools to effectively manage water supplies, maintain farming operations, and retain quality of life as work together to obtain groundwater sustainability.
Mark Larsen, General Manager
Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency